Atheists & agnositcs: How do you view religious people?

[Xenoxide]

I'm more Agnostic. I don't believe in a God due to a lack of evidence (And due to some things I have seen and experienced), but I'm not against the idea. Sometimes I even think I'd find it comforting.

Generally though, I have two views on religious people.

Those who have faith in a God, go to church, but lead normal lives and are quite content believing what they want in a rational and sane way without forcing it down someones throat, I have a huge amount of respect for. There are times I wish I could be more like them; to believe in something greater to help lead me and make my life better, and to have something that conforts me in times of need.

Then there's the rabid believers. These people annoy me to no end. The people who will look down on you for not believing, who somehow feel some sense of disappointment and bitterness against you, and keep telling you that you'll be going to hell for not believing. I have a special amount of hatred who mix the previous in with a guilt trip or emotional trip, ie. "You'll never see your loved ones again, it's a shame." Sometimes I feel sorry for them, but generally I just want to make the world better and shoot them in the head. This also applies to those who believe that gays should rot in hell and women who have abortions should be shot.

As for whether there is or isn't a God, I haven't made up my mind yet.

 

[doofer]

I pity religious people, most are hypocrites. I'm sure I'm not the only one that chuckles away at some of the more radically minded Islamic spokesmen on OcUK who will swoop into any discussion on religion/god about how 'their' religion is superior and defend its insanity fervently then perhaps a day or so later you'll see these same 'pious followers' in another thread extolling the virtues of alcohol/drugs/shagging around/porn or whatever their chosen religion expressly forbids...

LolReligion! TBH.

 

[PoD]

I am a scientist as in I simply don't believe in anything except that which I have proof of. So perhaps somewhat incorrectly I call myself an Atheist because that is the only box I can tick that best describes how I feel about the whole religion thing.


Why is it to put a tick in that box though seems to mean to religious people that they then have the right to debate with me against my whole understanding and philosophy on life. To put it simply IT DOES NOT and to do so I find quite offensive.

To set the record straight, I think religion is quaint and I do not wish to engage in it in much the same way that I do not wish to engage in sexual intercourse with another of my gender (I am straight and it is not open to debate).

To put it another way I think there are some quaint moral stories that I wish more people understood the meanings to because they may help some people out (like at awkward social situations etc), but to me they are story's designed to impart wisdom to naive minds and not facts to live your life around.

The whole religion thing for me was for people to put everything they didnt understand in a big box and say 'oh god does that' because if they didn't believe that someone else did it then they got rather scared and started killing each other, and they wouldn't get any work done and would probably starve to death or kill the neighbours (which apparently in many situations they did anyway, so it kind of failed and at that point me and religion went separate ways and never saw each other except maybe when I got curious and checked it out on Facebook).

I personally have graduated to putting things into three boxes now.

1. Those I think I understand to a certain level
2. Those I dont know an aweful lot about, but would like to know more about (more like a misty box).
3. Those I dont care to understand at this time (a box at the end of the garden next to the leaves that I might empty or use as compost)

I am not sitting on the fence and don't want debate over the fence. I don't want debate from religious people full stop and neither do I want 'saving' from myself (except maybe to stop me putting my finger in a plug socket or crossing the road without looking etc). I especially do not want saving from the clutches of 'evil'.
I don't want to unite in protest of all religions or/and live in a world of economy or capital. I don't believe in anything else except the things around me that I know because I don't know what I don't know (which is fine), although that doesn't stop me from taking it for granted and I am happy with that.
As well as this it is important to realise that I may theorise and perhaps fantasise about what I do not know as fact (although I often find this to be a mistake), just as long as you understand I am not speculating about it and may not even care to see those theories and fantasies come to reality.

Religion is fine, if it lets you sleep soundly at night, but keep it to yourself or those who ASK to listen because it is a personal belief and I am not trying to force my opinions upon others and by that belief do not wish others forcing their own ideals at me or be it subtly.

Infact that is my belief..my religion is that everyone is entitled to believe what they choose, just as long as your promise to keep them quiet, but they should understand that others should be able to do the same and if these ideologies conflict with your own, well the universe is a BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG place, so go find a corner of it where you feel comfortable, but please dont sit next to me at the table because I like to eat in the peace and comfort of like minded people.

 

[poobert]

I feel sorry for children being forced into a religion because I see it doing far more harm than good.

This, and then some.

I really dislike it when people try to justify it by having their kids proclaim to have "chosen" the religion when they are old enough to string together a sentence. If you are raised in a religious house and your parents are hardcore religious, there is very little in the way of choice when it comes to choosing your own religion.

More on topic, I view religious people the same way as I view the person who has to touch their door handle an even number of times before they leave the house. No matter how hard I try, I can't put myself in the same state of mind as one, so I don't bother.

With regards to my views, if God wants me to do something, he can come and tell me himself. Until then, I will covet my neighbour's wife to my heart's content .

edit* PoD speaks eloquently. I agree with the man/woman.

 

[James J]

There was a time, for quite a long period where I thought they were brainwashed or weak willed in some way.

However, my views since then have changed, now I just tend to ignore them. They just arent worth me spending my time thinking about. I just let them get on with whatever beliefs they have, be it god, the planet being a sentient lifeform, a space spaghetti creature being all powerful or jedi knights worshipping the force. Providing they dont sit and preach at me in an attempt to make me see the "error of my ways" I'm happy and they're happy. Which is a situation that both they and I should be content with. If either they or I arent happy with that situation then I'd say whichever it was had an additional agenda.

Thats pretty much my whole outlook as well. As long as people don't try preach to me, I won't preach back etc.

 

[izzy eckerslike]

I've got to know a fair number of Christians recently, and have found them the most accepting, helpful, friendly, caring, and - most surprisingly - not at all in-my-face about anything. I've been happy to think and talk about what they believe, but have in no way had such conversations pushed on me.

I've even found myself quite enjoying church once or twice

They may not be in your face but they have achieved exactly what they set out to do which is gain another convert i.e. you.

Of course your new friends are caring and helpful but does this mean that an atheist is automatically going to be the opposite ?

Blind faith is the only way I can describe religious believers because there's little else to base beliefs on is there ?
From primitive man worshiping the sun & moon and on through the Greek & Roman era gods ( which we now call 'Mythology' ) right up til the present day Christian & Islamic Mythology there is not one iota of creditable evidence that there is anything supernatural let alone an all seeing omnipotent god as apparently believed by so many.
I could say the same as other posters in that as long as it doesn't interfere with my life they can get on with as it's their choice but region is indoctrinated into our daily lives in so many ways from cradle to the grave for example with my kids saying prayers and being given RE lessons at school whether I like it or not.
Did you know that saying goodbye is an acronym for 'god be with you' ?

 

[Angilion]

Do you think they are misguided or naive, brainwashed, stupid etc. or do you respect their beliefs?
[..]

Not necessarily stupid and not necessarily naive.

I have no respect for their beliefs. Why should I? I don't automatically respect everything that everyone believes. I doubt if anyone does. Why should religion automatically be deemed worthy of respect? That merely enables harm because it suppresses opposition to that harm on the basis that it's part of the religion (which must be respected).

It reminds me of feudal times, when people were conditioned (and frequently forced) to respect the nobility merely for being the nobility.

Also, why only some religions? Let's say I hallucinated something while asleep or on drugs and as a result I founded a religion worshipping a deity with nine toes. Why am I not automatically entitled to respect from everyone? Hey, I'm the high priest and founder of a religion. If a follower is entitled to respect, I must be entitled to extreme respect. Say as a result I cut the left little toe off each of my children and preach that everyone should do the same and must do the same if they follow the true religion. It's what god wants! You're not allowed to object. That would be disrespectful.

 

[Angilion]

Just look at the short sendoff anyone who posts about aliens or 9/11 conspiracies get.

Why is the stuff the religious people say any different?

That's a much more succinct expression of the point I was making about automatic respect for religion just because it's religion. Maybe I should have read from the beginning of the thread rather than the end.

 

[Inquisitor]

Also, why only some religions? Let's say I hallucinated something while asleep or on drugs and as a result I founded a religion worshipping a deity with nine toes. Why am I not automatically entitled to respect from everyone? Hey, I'm the high priest and founder of a religion. If a follower is entitled to respect, I must be entitled to extreme respect. Say as a result I cut the left little toe off each of my children and preach that everyone should do the same and must do the same if they follow the true religion. It's what god wants! You're not allowed to object. That would be disrespectful.

Freedom of belief is entirely different from freedom of practice.

 

[Angilion]

Because unless you've got a time machine, you can't dismiss the events in religious texts on anything other than faith?

You can't prove the non-existence of the easter bunny, either. Or the non-existence of undetectable magic pixies that hold up aeroplanes and everything else that flies. Or the non-existence of Conan the Barbarian, come to that. What about the events in the Silmarillion? It's more internally consistent than most religious texts.

 

[Lightnix]

I'm of the view that whilst you can't necessarily disprove the idea of some kind of deity which to some extent may have had a hand in creating our world as we see it, the specific ideas of various religious Gods are both numerous, conflicted and often self contradicting enough that they can be safely ignored. Indeed at the moment I think that anybody who claims they can attempt to define such a creature and claim that their version of God is right is probably mad. I'm not saying the idea of a deity is necessarily incorrect, I'm saying your personal version of it almost certainly is to some extent.

 

[Angilion]

Freedom of belief is entirely different from freedom of practice.

But automatic required respect requires both. Hence circumcision being legal in this country (although only against boys because the prevailing sexism has more political power than religion here and now).

So no, it is not entirely different. Not at all.

 

[izzy eckerslike]

Religion is fine, if it lets you sleep soundly at night, but keep it to yourself or those who ASK to listen because it is a personal belief and I am not trying to

This is where it all goes wrong, religion is stealthily forced upon us in so many ways , even the coins in our pockets have references to god.

The next time the Jehovah's knock on my door peddling their bizarre version of Christianity I'll follow them home and a couple of days later introduce myself at their door & ask them if they would like to learn about Atheism and see what the reaction would be

 

[Nitefly]

No.

The opening line is:
The belief there was nothing and nothing happened to nothing.

Some atheists may believe that but I believe there was always something there.
The belief that the Universe came out of nothing is as ridiculous as somebody called God made it.

An Atheists belief is that a deity didn't do it.

I'm more picking up on the idea that something was just 'always there' - it doesn't really make any more sense than anything else.

I am a scientist as in I simply don't believe in anything except that which I have proof of.

I don't mean to be overly pedant, but you have actually restricted your beliefs to mathematics, because that's the only science that contains any 'proof'.

 

[Fuzz]

A bit like Spock, I find them illogical..

I'd go as far as to say that the ones that think the world began 6000 yrs ago are pretty dumb, yes.

But on the whole, if the religion they follow helps them "do the right thing" morally speaking then I have no problem with it what so ever.

 

[Thesaff]

Atheist and religious people are basically the same they believe in something, whether it be a particular god or a lack of a god, but they are definite in their beliefs, just like some physicists believe in the big bang and some dont.
Do i as an agnostic think any less or more of either group not really, who knows either may be right. Do i dislike people who subscribe to those views on a personal basis, i sure do.

 

[orderoftheflame]

Do you think they are misguided or naive, brainwashed, stupid etc. or do you respect their beliefs?

I generally find them all of the above, but I'll keep my opinion to myself and allow them to live their lives how they see fit.

I find that when I actually sit back and consider it, any holy book for a religion sounds like it was written by people with massive bags of drugs. Most of it is incomprehensible drivel.

I do find it a particularly annoyance when religious people go out of their way to preach to you though. "You need to be nice, and not sin or you'll go to hell" etc. I find it quite frustrating to see this stuff being force fed to young children. Instead they should be taught to be nice, because it's nice to be nice, not through fear of punishment if they're not.

 

[Castiel]

You can't prove the non-existence of the easter bunny, either. Or the non-existence of undetectable magic pixies that hold up aeroplanes and everything else that flies. Or the non-existence of Conan the Barbarian, come to that. What about the events in the Silmarillion? It's more internally consistent than most religious texts.

Well, as for Conan or the events in the Silmarillion we have the authors assertion on the inside book-cover that these are entirely works of fiction.

As for the rest, I can say that I do not believe in Pixies or the Easter Bunny without dismissing God or any other conjecture I may decide to reserve judgement on.

This favourite argument of atheists is the most ridiculous argument I have ever heard as every single Human being on the planet is atheist about something.

 

[PoD]

I'm more picking up on the idea that something was just 'always there' - it doesn't really make any more sense than anything else.


I don't mean to be overly pedant, but you have actually restricted your beliefs to mathematics, because that's the only science that contains any 'proof'.

You don't mean to, but then you go on to being overly pedant!? Meaning I am going to be overly pedant then pretend I am not!

Okay that is your choice and I respect you for that (see how I turned the cheek).

Thank you for your comments I shall take them into consideration!

 

[Dolph]

You can't prove the non-existence of the easter bunny, either. Or the non-existence of undetectable magic pixies that hold up aeroplanes and everything else that flies. Or the non-existence of Conan the Barbarian, come to that. What about the events in the Silmarillion? It's more internally consistent than most religious texts.

Well, except that you can define a test for most of those things, apart from the Pixies, but science doesn't disprove the existence of those pixies, it just proposes an alternative mechanism in line with the assumptions of the scientific method that are taken a priori.